Recording and reproducing phonograph.



E. A. IVATTS.

RECORDING AND REPRODUCING PHONOGRAPH.

A-PPLICATION FlLED FEB. 10,1914.

Pmntedjune18,1918.

G SHEETS SHEET 3.

E. A. IVATTS.

RECORDING AND REPRODUCING PHONOGRAPH. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1914.

1 ,269,607. Pamnted June 18, 1918.

. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

@m fL-/f E.A.1vATTs. RECORDING AND REPRQDUCING PHONOGRAPH.

APPLICATION FlLED FEB. IO. 1914.-

Patented J une 18, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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RECOR DING AND REPRODUCING PHONOGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.10| 1914.

Patented June 18, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

I law- STATES PATENT OFFICE;

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BECBIR'G AND REPBODUCING PHONOGRAPH.

Patented June 18, 1918.

- Application flle February 10, 1914. Serial No. 817,724.

Toallwhom'itarmy concem: i

Be it known that I, EnNnsr ALBnR'r Ive'rrs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at' 30 Boulevard des Italiens, Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Recording and'v Reproducing Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention has for its object a phonographic apparatus more particularl intended for postal correspondence, or inaryletters being replaced by phonographic disks which are recorded and sent through the post to the correspondent who hears upon`h1s apparatus the phonic reproduction of the correspondence recorded on the disk.

In view of the special purpose for which it is more particularly intended, the novel apparatusis constructed 'in such a manner that it is at once possible by very simple means, either to record for dictatin a letter, or to reproduce the sounds reco ed for the purpose of readingv over that which has 'been dictated, or .to read the letter-disk received through the post. This result is obtained without the employment of 4,any comtwo sound arms being,

-asmge 1 bothoft taining a recording and reprodu plicated mechanism owing to the fact that no nut and -screw mechanism'is employed for driving the recordin and reproducin diaragms, a' meth Aof drlvin a eady own per se being em loyed; th1s consists in proviing the soun arm carrying the diaphragm withv "a point which' moves in a spiral groove ormed upon a guide plate concentric with the disk over which the \i sual stylus of the'recording or reproducing diaphragmis displaced According to com rises two independent, soun whic respectively carry arms the recording sound box and-the reproducmg sound box, these guided by the s iral groove of one and the same guide plate. 's combination of two sound boxes one for reco and the vother for re roducing', with m with theirsound arms m accordanc'e with an an'gular translatory movement for producing the record and the reproduction has great'advantages readily un erstood, because it allows of ob- I I O I which :s o! exoeedmglvsmp mnthe invention the ap aratus l lguide plate' capab e of displacing'- as'willbev struction and is very compact and in which the number of elements is reduced to the strict The novel apparatus is also characterized by the combination with the two sound arms i for receiving the record. For the purposes of correspondence, this phonic disk has the advantage that it can be transmitted through the post without taking special precautions and without risk of damage so that its employment in com'bination with the device described above renders it possible to utilize the apparatus under the best conditions for the special object in view, that is to say for correspondence. o

The apparatus has further characteristics a s' will appear from the following descriptlcn.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings -in which: s

Figure 1 is a plan of the apparatus showing the position 'of the parts during recording.

Fig. 2 shows the position of the parts durin reproduction. v

3 isa vertical section on the line A-A in Fig. 1. v

4 is an elevation of a sound arm. A Fig. 5 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section thereof.

7 isa Alin i -.B in

Fig. 8 is 'a Perspective view of the case contaming the complete .A apparatus Vin the constructional form illustrated by way of example. j y b 9 'is a plan view vwith the lid of the apphearatus' raised. ,apparatus representedby 'way of example comprisee a case 1'mclosing the ope mechamsm `tor or an electric motor or exam le. This mechaniam drives the vertical sha 8.) upon WM* a ,IMM af 91' *11 rtial vertical section on the i which may-be of any v :'convenient kind and com rise a spring mo- 2 (Fig.

like is mounted. This plate may be provided at its center with a metal sleeve 4 into Which is screwed a threaded nipple integral with a small plate 5 serving for fixing upon the plate 3 the disk 6 which is to be recorded or utilizedA for reproduction As stated above, this disk 6 is composed of a core of paper, cardboard or the like, covered on both its faces With wax or some similar and usual composition. lIn proximity to its edge on the portion a the plate 3 is provided with a spiral furrow or groove, the path of which corresponds with that Which the groove recorded on the disk 6 is to have. The disk 6 consequently covers the central portion of the plate 3 within the annular zone a carrying the spiral furrow.

Two supports 8, 9 are` fixed on the case 1 and the two independent sound arms 10, 11 are able to rotate freely in these supports. The ivotal movement of these arms is limited y screws 12, 13 (Figs. 4; and 5). E-ach support 8, 9 ends at its upper part in a conduit 14 which communicates below with the innerA conduit of the pivotal sound armand is adapted to receive the extremi of the sound tube 15 serving for recor ing and reproducing. The sound tube is thus supported independently of the sound arm which is consequently relieved of the weight of the tube. If desired, this tube may be' replaced by a horn or trumpet. I The free extremity of the sound arm 1 carries a socket 16 which can turn around a horizontal axis and upon which is fixed the recording sound box 17 providedv with the usual recording Sapphire. Similarly the. arm 11 carries a socket 19 supporting the reproducing sound box 18. The arm 10 also carries a horizontal'spindle 20 (Fig..6) which' is perpendicular to it and around which a tube 21 can pivot; this tube is integral with an arm 22 carrying at its extremity the guiding point 23 intended to move in the groove in the guide plate 3 in such a manner that under the action of this groove, it inpartsl an angular movement of translation to the' recording Sapphire. A small spiral spring 24 constantly depresSes the arm 22, thus causing the point 23 to rest in the groove. A finger 25 mtegral with the socket 16 oontacts with the arm '22 when the diaphragm is raised and liftsit so as to separate the point 23 from the plate 3. A similar arrangement is adopted lfor the sound arm. 11. 21, 22, and 25a indicate the parts respectivel corresponding to the parts 21, 22' and 25. ach of the sound boxes17 and 18 carries a small handle or finger 26 or 27 for conveniently raising it and these fingers bear the respective inscriptions Recorder and Reproducen A plate *28 having the shape of an arc of a circle is fixed to the top of the case 1 by its bent extremities; this plate is sufiiciently 'mit of brin raised above the case to permit of the plate 3 passing beneath it. The extremities of this plate are marked With arrows 29, 29', 30 and 30% When the guide point23- of the recording sound box is op 'osite the arrow 29, the sapphire of the diap agm is located in proximty to the outer edge of the disk 6, that is to say in the pro er position for commencing to record. he recording sound box is preferably stopped automatically at this point when its sound arm is swung outthe diaphragms to given A points on the 1sk 3 without trial or hesitation.

In order to render one of the sound boxes inoperative, it is merely necessary to bring its vedge upon the plate 28. The method of using the apparatus will be obvious from the 4 foregoing description. In order to make a record, the disk 6 is placed upon the plate 3.

and the mechanism is started; the recording sound box is then brought into position upon the disk 6 its guide point bein opposite the appropriate arrow 29 or 30. he depression of the diaphragm onto the disk produces the simultaneous depression of the point 23 onto the lplate 3 by the action of the spring 24 so that a single movement is sufiicient to cause the diaphragm and the guide point to assume the operative position." It is thus only necessary to talk into "the trumpet of the sound tube 15 which has been connected with the support 8. The reproducing sound box has been rendered inoperative in the manner indicated above. During the makin of the record, the recording Sapphire guide by the point 23 which moves m the groove of the Vplate describes an arc of a circle around the axis of the support 8 while approachin the center of the apparatus. If it be d i to read over that which has been dictated in the manner described the solmd box` is rendered inoperative, the sound tube lg i s replaced on the support 9 (Fig. 2)!fand t e action. On receiving the letter-disk the rereproducing sound box isv brought into cipient places it upon his apparatus and proi ceed therefore lapparent that the o rations to be efiected are exceedingl simp e. i The control .meehamsm' of the apparat which is represented peculiarity. 32 desi the end of the win in Fig. 3 presents no ates a socket in which g handle is engaged.

s in the manner last described/ It is neseser.

33 designates the spring barrel and 34 is the vna ball governor. The usual brake 35 is mounted on the upper part of the case 1.

The apparatus represented is essentially portable. It consists of two parts: the lower part constituted by the case 1 and the upper part constituted by a case 1a provided with a lid 36. During transport the two cases are united by means of bolts 37. The upper case 1n contains two threaded rods 38 upon which a certain number ofdisks of two difl'erent diameters can be passed. These disks are held in place by metal plates 39 integral with nuts 40 which are screwed on the rods 38. A deeper portion of the upper case -1a contains the sound tube 15 and the small accessories. Fig. 8 shows that the complete apparatus is exceedingly compact and -readily transportable. This constructional form of the apparatus is particularly suit-ed ,forl commercial travelers for example as the use of the apparatus will dispense them frem the necessity of writing 'their correspondenoe.

lt Wlll of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction here described and illustrated. In particular, the two supports 8, 9 might he located at diametrically oppositepoints of the case 1 and similarly the upper case 1a might be replaced by a flat cover; i nl this instance the case would be integral with compartments located latcrally of the said case and in.

which the disks and accessories would be kept.

L-laving now described my invention, what I ciairn as new and desire to secure by Letters Fatent is:

i. i a recording and reproducing phonograph: a recording sound box, a reproducing sound box, a guide plate having a spiral groove, means for .rotatlng said guide plate,

sound arms upon which the recording and the reproducing sound boxes are respectively mounted so as to be capable of swingin vertically, supports upon which the soun 'arms may swing freely, guiding points mounted on the sound arms, respectively, and adapted to swing vertcally on the same, means for forcing the guiding points downf wardly in contact with the spiral groove on the guide plate, a member moving with each" may swing freely, guiding points mounted on the sound arms, respectvely, and adapted to swing vertically on the same so as to entherefrom and means for supporting the sound boxes in inoperative position with respect to the phonographic disk, said means embodying an arc shaped plate provided with marks at its ends, substantiallyas described and for the purpose set forth.

l'n testimony whereof I have signed my. name to this specificatio-n in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST ALBERT TVATTS.

Witnesses:

AN'roINn LAvom, @me P. Punssnr.

gage with the spiral groove or to be removed fm 

